My iPhone 3GS screen real estate is a precious commodity. I have 11 pages of apps and will seize any opportunity allowing me to conserve or consolidate my precious screen space. The developers at Fossil Software, LLC obviously share my sentiment and released 50 In 1: APPZILLA! specifically for people like me, i.e. everyone.

50 In 1: APPZILLA! cleverly enhances an idea first purported by the developers of AppBox Pro. While AppBox Pro (and subsequent similar apps) houses multiple utility or productivity applications, 50 In 1: APPZILLA! expands on this concept by featuring an assortment of applications included within the social networking, music, utility, productivity, lifestyle, reference, photography and entertainment categories.

As its name implies, 50 In 1: APPZILLA! currently houses a record 51 commonly (and not-so-commonly)-used applications, allowing iPhone users to save a considerable portion of precious screen space, not to mention money, priced at only .99, by taking popular, unique and commonly-used applications and consolidating them into one, multi-purpose application.

When describing 50 In 1: APPZILLA!, this analogy has been used ad nauseam, but I can think of no better way to summarize its use/contents: It truly is the “Swiss Army knife” of iPhone utility apps.

While there are other similar apps in the app store, 50 In 1: APPZILLA! is currently the only multi-purpose app containing a whopping 51 applications spanning the entire app store category spectrum. So, how does APPZILLA compare to its competition? How does its apps/features compare to its individually-priced counterparts?

First off, the mere idea of having 51 applications conveniently contained within one app is incredible. APPZILLA’s competition features, at the most, 34. Currently, APPZILLA features the following:

50,000 Famous Quotes

Twitter/Facebook Tools

Currency Translator

Language Translator

Touch Anywhere Camera

Timer Camera

Whiteboard

Dictionary

Digital Clock

Trip Wire

Unit Converter

Voodoo Doll

Sleep Sounds Generator

Glow Paint

Battery Life

Book Lamp

Tip Calculator

Game Buzzer

Clinometer

Bubble Level

Plumb Bob

Protractor

Ruler

Price Compare

Hot Topics

Coin Flip

Cook Timer

Crystal Ball

Tesla Meter

Decibel Meter

Advanced Random Number Generator

Sale Price Calculator

System Info

Flashlight

Music Box

Grill Timer

Homeland Security

Concert Lighter

Moon Phase Calculator

Morse Code Flasher

Password Generator

Massager

Color Picker

Metronome

Pitch Pipe

Sound Box

Strobe Light

Tally Tracker

Dice Roller

Location Tool

Fake Call

I’ll try not to cover every app in detail, but will focus on those commonly-used features/apps that have individual, dedicated counterpart apps in the app store.

There seems to be no “Golden Standard” or formula to follow when developing multi-purpose apps like 50 iN 1: APPZILLA!. Based on the existing multi-purpose apps in the app store, developers choose features using different criteria, resulting in many multi-purpose apps having at least one “much-needed” feature non-existent in its rivals. Because of this phenomenon (I like to call the based-on-the-existing-multi-purpose-apps-in-the-app-store-developers-choose-features-using-different-criteria-resulting-in-many-multi-purpose-apps-having-at-least-one-much-needed-feature-non-existent-in-its-rivals phenomenon), I find myself using multiple multi-purpose apps (What?...What?).

Visually, APPZILLA’S main menu interface is simply gorgeous and literally “out-shines” its competition. The icons are beautiful, detailed and well-designed and app animations are clear and fluid. Its sound effects, e.g. “button-clicks” are crisp and pleasing.

From APPZILLA’S main menu, users can control sound options, such as button clicks and the option to have the app “roar” when its opening doors slide open, by tapping the “Settings” icon in the main menu’s upper-right corner. Conversely, users have the option to toggle door animation, i.e. have them slide open to reveal the main menu or simply transition to the main menu without animation:

In addition, the icon in the upper-left corner allows users to customize the order of their apps, but does not provide them with the option to remove or exclude apps from the list, a badly-needed feature, given the number and variety of apps within the program. I would like to be able to display only those apps I use, without having to sift through or display pages of apps I don’t use.

APPZILLA’S apps all have a built-in help feature and customizable settings, dependent on the application. For example, the “Book Lamp” app allows users to adjust the brightness and the color of the light, although I don’t know why one wouldn’t just use the “Flashlight.” Both appear to provide the same level of brightness, but “Flashlight” doesn’t have the option to adjust its color:

The individual menu interfaces for 50 iN 1: APPZILLA!’S apps are clean, user-friendly and well-developed. While APPZILLA contains many very useful apps, it has its share of the “entertainment only” variety, such as “Voodoo” and “Buzzer:”

Conversely, 50 iN 1: APPZILLA! contains very useful, unique features/apps not found in other multi-utility apps (or possibly as individual apps within the app store), such as “Color Calculator,” which helps you choose colors based on visual selection from a color swatch, showing users the RGB, HSV and HEX values for the color they choose:

“Decibels,” a decibel meter that measures sound:

“Dictionary,” which requires an internet connection and offers users the option of emailing entries:

“Coin Flip,” which gives users the option to have the coin always land on “heads,” (for cheaters):

“Grill Timer,” (which tracks up to 4 simultaneous grilling durations; as each timer expires, the app sounds an alarm, tracks time whether you’re in the app, on a phone call or playing a game and contains a list of “Ideal Meat Temperatures.”):

"Tally" provides users with the option of counting/tracking 1-4 numbers simultaneously and even allows users to set pre-determined beginning figures:

“Music Box” and “Sleep Aid,” (both of which show the thought 50 iN 1: APPZILLA!’S developers put into their app). These apps are all well-developed and are easily comparable to their individual app-store counterparts (providing they exist):

50 iN 1: APPZILLA!’S version of those apps commonly featured in multi-utility apps, such as “Level,” “Tip Calculator,” “Currency Converter,” “Unit Converter,” “Battery Life” and “System Info,” are all intuitive, well-developed and easy to use, with, as mentioned before, a built-in “Help” screen:

I also tested “Teslameter” and when I cranked up “Love Song,” I thought my iPhone was going to spontaneously combust.

Conversely, 50 iN 1: APPZILLA! does contain its share of popular utilities that are rudimentary and/or suffer from a lack of options, such as “Ruler,” “Clock” and “Fake Call,” (3-4 out of 51 is easily overlooked):

“Locator,” while providing users with Latitude/Longitude, Altitude, Course and Speed, does not offer the option to plot users’ location on a map or find their current address:

As mentioned above, 50 iN 1: APPZILLA! also contains not-so-useful unique features/apps not found in other multi-utility apps or as individual apps within the app store. However, they are still quality, well-developed apps, such as (mentioned earlier), “Voodoo” and “Buzzer,” “Crystal Ball” (you can input 5 custom “answers”), “Homeland,” (an updated Homeland Security Advisory System; I’m sure this feature has a niche’, but I have no use for the chart, not to mention I can’t understand it) “Massager” (which has 5 different settings) and “Quotes.”:

As it turns out, “Crystal Ball” is useful. I asked it if I would finish this review in time to enjoy my Saturday and it replied:

50 iN 1: APPZILLA! also offers two additional features not commonly found in its app store counterparts: “Auto Camera” and “Full Camera.” “Auto Camera” allows its users to take pictures, using a built-in timer, in increments of 5, 10 and 30 seconds and 1, 5 and 10 minutes. “Auto Camera” allows its users to take a picture by tapping anywhere on the screen:

When taking pictures with the camera apps, the resulting photographs were comparable to the iPhone’s built-in camera, but the iPhone camera’s built-in focus provided slightly-clearer pictures. It’s all relative, however, as under proper lighting and conditions, APPZILLA is capable of taking quality photos. However, I did find that, when sometimes opening these apps, I was merely introduced to a camera screen with no options, a bug APPZILLA’S developers can easily resolve.

All things considered, 50 iN 1: APPZILLA! is truly a “beast-of-an-app” and, while it does lack useful features found in other apps, such as a date calculator, I believe after it’s next update(s) it will reign as “King” of the multi-purpose apps. Its graphics, animation and interface are beautiful, fluid and well-developed.

50 iN 1: APPZILLA! is not without flaws, however: Users need more customization when it comes to the app icon list. I would like to be able to display only those apps I use, without having to sift through pages of apps I don’t use. Other apps can be tweaked, to appeal to more users. For example, I have no use for APPZILLA’S “Voodoo” app, but providing users with the option to add a customized photo to its face, etc., would have me beating that silly, little doll mercilessly! All-in-all, the bugs I encountered were few and minor, given APPZILLA’S monstrosity of a feature-set.

Despite its flaws, while there are other similar apps in the app store, 50 In 1: APPZILLA! is currently the only multi-purpose/multi-category application-housing app containing a large number of well-developed, quality applications equal to, if not better than, their separate counterparts. Its crisp sound effects and visually-appealing, clean, fluid, user-friendly interface/animations/icons allow it to “out-shine” its competition and “stand out” as the current front-runner in a growing genre.

If you love multi-purpose apps and/or are looking for one app to consolidate utility, reference, productivity and entertainment apps, thus freeing screen real-estate, I strongly recommend 50 In 1: APPZILLA!. At only .99, it’s an invaluable app you’ll use over and over again.

iPhone Screenshots

Review disclosure: note that the product reviewed on this page may have been provided to us by the developer for the purposes of this review. Note that if the developer provides the product or not, this does not impact the review or score.